Arvind Kejriwal to Join Rajya Sabha? AAP Says It’s a ‘Rumour’
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has set political circles abuzz by naming its Punjab Rajya Sabha MP Sanjeev Arora as the candidate for the Ludhiana West bypoll. This move has ignited speculation that AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal might be preparing to enter Parliament, especially after his recent loss in the Delhi Assembly elections.
Kejriwal, who lost his New Delhi seat to BJP’s Parvesh Verma, saw AAP’s Delhi tally drop from over 60 seats in 2015 and 2020 to just 22 in 2025. Now, with Arora tapped for the bypoll, many wonder if his Rajya Sabha seat—valid until 2028—could be vacated for Kejriwal. AAP’s Punjab spokesperson Jagtar Singh Sanghera dismissed the idea, saying, “This is a rumor spread by the opposition. Sanjeev Arora is from Ludhiana, so he’s our choice for the bypoll. No talks about Kejriwal joining Rajya Sabha happened.”
Arora, a Ludhiana-based industrialist elected to Rajya Sabha in 2022, expressed gratitude on X: “Humbled to contest the Ludhiana West bypoll and serve my hometown.” The seat became vacant after AAP MLA Gurpreet Gogi’s death last month, with the bypoll due by July 11.
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Opposition leaders aren’t buying AAP’s denial. Punjab Congress leader Partap Singh Bajwa boldly claimed, “Kejriwal’s Rajya Sabha entry is 100% happening. He backed off contesting Gogi’s seat to avoid a Punjab backlash but now sees this as his chance.” BJP’s Shehzad Poonawalla also chimed in on X, alleging Kejriwal craves “VVIP perks” and immunity from corruption charges.
AAP holds 10 Rajya Sabha seats—seven from Punjab and three from Delhi. With 93 MLAs in Punjab, securing a seat there would be easy, unlike in Delhi, where AAP lacks the numbers to reclaim a resigned seat. Could Kejriwal replace Arora or another Punjab MP like Raghav Chadha? Party insiders hint at discussions, though nothing’s confirmed.
